You are your baby’s first teacher!

When you open a book with your baby you are opening the world.

Birth – 3 months

Your baby learns to understand language by hearing you use it. Talk to your baby as much as you can even if it seems pointless.

Talk:

  • Say your baby’s name.
  • Talk while changing, bathing, and feeding your child.
  • Say the names of things that you use.
  • Use the same words often.

Sing:

  • Sings songs while you rock baby.
  • Say nursery rhymes with action, such as Pat-a- Cake.

Read:

  • Read Cloth or Board books to baby.
  • Point to and identify pictures in books.

Play:

  • Play touching games, pat baby, gently rub baby’s arms and legs.
  • Play simple touching games “Where are your toes?” “Here are your toes”
  • Use mobiles over cribs at this age.

3 months – 2 years

Talk, Read, Play and Sing:

  • Identify colors.
  • Count Items.
  • Introduce animal sounds.“The doggie says woof-woof.”
  • Expand on single words your baby uses “Here is Mama, Mama loves you.”
  • Read to baby. Point to pictures and ask,“What’s this?”
  • Choose books that are sturdy and have large colorful pictures that are not detailed.

2 years – 4 years

Talk, Read, Play and Sing:

  • Keep reading to your child. Reread favorite books.
  • Read predictable books so that your child will begin to recognize repeated words and phrases.
  • Teach the alphabet song.
  • Put magnetic letters on your refrigerator. Ask your child to name letters as he plays.
  • Play games using the alphabet in books, traffic signs, billboards, and stores.